Tenshi High School Judo Club Challenges Tradition with ‘Hair Salon’ Project According to a statement from Tenshi High School, the school’s judo club has launched a “hair salon” initiative, allowing students to experiment with hairstyles as part of their extracurricular activities. The move has sparked conversations about self-expression in Japanese sports culture, with officials describing … Read more
World Judo Champion Opens Doors for Beginners: How to Join Tadahiro Nomura’s ‘Fun to Judo’ Workshop in Nara By Daniel Richardson | Archysport Published June 2024 A three-time Olympic judo champion is inviting beginners to experience the sport’s fundamentals in a relaxed, hands-on workshop in Nara, Japan. Tadahiro Nomura, the only man to win three … Read more
Shirogane Ashikaga Secures Three-Peat in Interhigh Judogi Prefectural Tournament; Kokugaku Tochigi Claims Girls’ Title Shirogane Ashikaga High School captured its third consecutive boys’ team title at the Interhigh judo prefectural tournament on June 27, while Kokugaku Tochigi High School claimed its second straight girls’ championship, according to the Tochigi Prefectural Sports Federation. The event, held … Read more
Okayama Prefecture Launches Feasibility Study for New Fagiano Okayama Stadium Okayama Prefecture has initiated a feasibility study for a new stadium to serve as the home ground for J1 League club Fagiano Okayama, according to the Football Stadium Discussion Committee (事務局: Okayama Prefecture). The committee aims to evaluate infrastructure needs, fan experience upgrades, and financial … Read more
Judo Gold Medalist Natsumi Kakita Retires in 2026 After Tokyo 2020 Triumph By Daniel Richardson | Editor-in-Chief, Archysport | Updated: June 10, 2024 Natsumi Kakita, the 33-year-old judoka who won gold in the women’s 48kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, has announced her retirement from competitive judo effective January 2026. The announcement comes after … Read more
JADA Appoints Former Olympic Judo Medalist Tanabe Yoko as New President JADA Appoints Former Olympic Judo Medalist Tanabe Yoko as New President The Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA) announced on April 24 that Tanabe Yoko, a 60-year-old former judo Olympic medalist, has assumed the role of president effective April 23, according to an official statement. Tanabe, … Read more
Saito and Sato Claim Heavyweight Titles at Fukushima Prefecture Elementary Judo Championship Seinosuke Saito of Motomiya Sports Association and Kotone Sato of Koriyama Judo Association secured championship titles in the heavyweight divisions at the Fukushima Prefecture Elementary School Grade-Level Judo Championship. The tournament took place on July 21 at the Koriyama City Seibu No. 2 … Read more
The Physics of the “Dead Ball”: Why Soccer’s Knuckleball Swerves and Dips The “no-spin” free kick, often called a knuckleball or mukaiten shot, remains one of the most difficult challenges for goalkeepers in modern football. When a player strikes the ball with minimal rotation, the lack of spin causes the air flow around the sphere … Read more
Local Middle School Sports Festival Kicks Off in Aizuwakamatsu, Preparing for Prefectural Qualifiers The All Aizuwakamatsu Middle School Sports Festival, serving as a preliminary round for the Fukushima Prefectural Middle School Sports Festival, commenced on July 2 in Aizuwakamatsu City, with events scheduled through July 10. Organized by the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education, the … Read more
Nara’s Tenri High School Sweeps All Weight Classes in Historic Judo Victory 天理高等学校 secured an unprecedented sweep of all seven men’s and five women’s weight classes at the Nara Prefecture High School Judo Championship, a qualifying event for the 2026 National High School Athletics Meet. The team’s dominance—culminating in a 12-0 record—has set a new … Read more